As expected, CMJ was a shitshow, but it brought out a couple of acts that we never thought we’d have the chance to see on the same stage. Like many, we grew up with albums like Smif N Wessun’sDa Shinin and Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, and the Duck Down showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg was our chance to see these hip hop heroes all in the same place.

It also happened to be the night before the US government narrowly avoided the debt ceiling deadline, so everyone was expecting the sky to begin falling at any moment. We asked Redman, Talib Kweli, Buckshot, and Sean Price what they were doing to prepare for the impending onslaught of apocalyptic nightmares. None of them seemed too shaken. We also asked them what CMJ stands for, and Kweli was the only guy who knew! However, Sean Price’s suggestion might beat what it actually stands for.

Overall, it was a fun night, a killer show, and an inebriated backstage experience. We’re pretty sure Redman wasn’t even performing. He just rose out of a cloud of smoke and complimented our host The Kid’s Wu Tang Sweatshirt. Grab some Wu Tang gear on Karmaloop and perhaps get a compliment from Redman one day…